Sunsets and Train Tracks

Chapter 11

   Weeks have gone by. Linda finally came home. Her eyesight is gone, but her spirit is still high.

   No more sports for her or Barb, as her season finally ended. Wendy is in the middle of Soccer season, so she isn't around as often anymore.

   Our Anna problem? It seemed to get worse.

   She's always giving us looks, and is indefinitely tearing all of us apart from the inside out. She would give us "decorations" to our lockers and personal belongings. She's chased us around with that bat twice now, and she is on the edge of insanity.

   My sister used to be the star cheerleader with a big smile, now that girl is in the shadows while an evil woman takes her place. I was worried about what would happen with her and the gang.

   One day, my suspicion went out the window.

   "So, how have you been?" Pony asked as we sat at lunch together.

   "It could be better." I responded, eating my sandwich.

   "Yeah, I'm sorry about everything with Anna. I can't even get my own gang to do anything. She's a girl." Pony said.

   "Yeah, I know." I said.

   "Have you seen Wendy today? I haven't seen her in any of my classes." Pony asked.

   "No, actually. She walked in with Wanda this morning so I don't know." I said.

   "That's weird. Think she ditched?" Pony asked.

   "She wouldn't ditch without her sister. I know that for a fact." I said.

   "Huh, I guess we will figure that out later." Pony said.

   "Yeah." I responded.

   Later on

   "Where's Wendy?" Wanda asked as we met up after school.

   "I don't know, we haven't seen her all day." I said.

   "But she was with me this morning." Wanda said.

   "I don't know where she is." Pony said as he walked towards us.

   "How do you know?" Wanda said.

   "She hasn't been in any of my classes. Something is wrong." Pony said.

   "Like what?" I asked him.

   "Anna." Pony said.

   "What?!" We all shouted.

   "What? Do none of you guys get that suspicion too?" Pony asked.

   "Actually, that makes sense and I'm not proud of it." Wanda said.

   "What do you think Anna would do with her?" I asked.

   "I don't know. We need to find Wendy. Now." Wanda said as she started walking off.

   Everyone joined her, even Pony.

   "I want to help." Pony said.

   "You sure?" I asked.

   "Of course." Pony said with a grin.

   I grinned back.

   "Let's go then." I said.

   Hours go by. No sign of Wendy. I found her at the softball fields, I can find her again.

   We look at the streets her and Wanda would usually roam around in.

   Nothing.

   The diner.

   Nothing.

   The lot that Pony and his friend go to.

   Nothing.

   We looked everywhere, there was no sign of her.

   "Guys, what the hell is that smell? It's disgusting." Barb asked as she went towards some huge trash cans.

   "Garbage, Barb." Wanda said.

   "No. This isn't normal. It's not the normal garbage smell. It's so terrible." Barb said as she got closer to the cans.

   Wanda ran to Barb, pushing her aside.

   I think she knew what that smell was.

   She ran towards the can and opened the huge hatch for it.

   She immediately closed it.

   Wanda was gagging, she then suddenly threw up.

   We ran towards the trash can and opened the lid.

   We saw it.

   We saw her.

   Wendy.

   Dead.

   She was bashed to death.

   We closed the lid and fell back in horror.

   Wanda was still throwing up, but she was crying at the same time.

   Tears were running down my cheeks as I screamed.

   It wasn't intentional. It was just flowing.

   Barb stood there, confused and agitated.

   She's seen a body before, but it was never a friend.

   "What's going on?" Linda asked as she teared up.

   "Guys, please tell me!" Linda was yelling.

   No one wanted to respond. We were speechless.

   "Guys?" Linda asked as tears were swelling up.

   I walked over to Linda and threw her in my arms.

   "She's gone. Wendy." I said as I bursted into tears, crying into her shoulder.

   Linda had to find my back, and she immediately pulled me into an embrace so big we were there for what felt like hours.

   Pony didn't know Wendy that well, but he was terrified of what just happened.

   Who the hell would do this?

   Anna.

   When I finally broke from Linda, she was staring at me with her grey eyes, not knowing if I was actually there or not.

   "We need to go. Now." Deb said as she pulled back tears.

   "I'M NOT LEAVING HER!" Wanda yelled as she continued to sob.

   "Wanda, we need to tell the police. Her death will be in vain if we don't figure out how to deal with this properly." Deb said as she put her hand on Wanda's shoulder.

   "Fine." Wanda said as she sniffled.

   Deb got her out of there, thankfully.

   The streets were dead, there was nothing except for us.

   Weeping, because of our friend.

   Our sister.

   We walked out of the alley where the trash cans were.

   Everyone was crying, weeping, sobbing, anything but happiness was going through them.

   Pony stopped me in my tracks as the other continued to walk ahead of them.

   "I'm so sorry." Pony said as he wiped the tears from my cheeks.

   I pulled him into a hug he wasn't expecting.

   He hugged back, giving me a notice that would tell me that I wasn't alone.

   I never was. I never will.